Breathe In
by xpiester333x
Summary: Nami just needs to remember to breathe as the hot desert air pushes her on towards a reunion she's not sure she's ready for.


_This is my fic for the Share the Love Month event put together by MyLadyDay and Aerle. They are both so awesome for coming up with an event like this! I also share this NamiVivi day with Imperial Mint so if you like the pairing make sure to check out her fic later as well!_

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Breathe in.

The Sunny dropped anchor just a few miles off the shore of Alabasta. The pirate king's arrival would surely bring up some concern to the citizens of this peaceful country, and they'd hate for their visit to be cut short by a call to the marines. Truthfully, these people probably had every right to fear a visit from the Straw Hats, the last time this crew had been here for a visit, they'd done more than a little damage to the capital city, Alubarna. Of course, it wasn't like their actions at the time were not justified, and they _had_ helped to save the country from an evil warlord, but people probably wouldn't forgive them that easily.

Nami waited against the railing with the others. Since they needed to keep the ship off shore and out of sight, Franky would have to ferry them to shore in small trips on the mini Merry. While he was getting the mini Merry ready, the others had gathered in their excitement to talk about their visit to see their old friends here.

"I bet Vivi is going to make us a biiiiig feast!" Luffy laughed excitedly. For someone who recently made himself royalty among pirates, his attitude towards meals hadn't changed a bit.

"I wonder if the princess will be excited to see us," Sanji cooed, folding his hand and practically wiggling with excitement. "I certainly am excited to see her!"

"You're an idiot," Zoro scoffed, thoroughly chasing any thoughts about Vivi from their cook's mind and inciting a fight between the two.

Usopp was putting his story skills to good use in informing Brook about their adventures here in Alabasta. Some of what he was telling was fabricated, but he'd gotten much better at telling the truth in stories than he had been the last time they were here. Perhaps that was because the adventures they had were grand and farfetched enough without any additional exaggeration. It didn't stop him from playing up the parts he had been involved in, but that was to be expected from Usopp.

Nami wanted to join in on their excitement, but she held back, stood apart from them. There was only one other among them that seemed just as reserved and separate from the crew as Nami did. Robin stood off to the side, her face calm and unconcerned looking to anyone who didn't know her well, but Nami could see the lines of worry around her mouth and on her forehead. She had a reason to be nervous, of course, Robin's last visit here hadn't been anywhere near as joyful and happy as the others'. She had been the enemy in that adventure, and Nami knew in some part of her heart she feared she still might be seen that way.

"What's wrong, Robin?" Luffy asked. He apparently hadn't missed Robin's less than enthusiastic behavior either. "Aren't you excited to eat?"

Robin smiled in spite of her obvious apprehension. "I'm sure the food will be great, Luffy, but I was thinking it might be better if I waited here with the ship. I'm not sure I'll be as welcome at this reunion."

"Nonsense!" Luffy laughed. "You're my nakama, why wouldn't you be welcome?"

Robin's smile grew into one that was proud and genuine, but she didn't comment further. There would be no way to make Luffy understand that some people were not as forgiving as he was. Her captain was on her side of things, however, and that made Robin feel better than anything else could.

"What about you, Nami?" Luffy turned his excited grin on her. "Aren't you happy you're going to see Vivi?"

"Of course," she answered automatically, and accompanied her response with a reassuring smile. It seemed to appease Luffy, and he turned to listen to the tail end of Usopp's story.

The grin fell from Nami's face. It wasn't that she wasn't happy to be able to see Vivi again, of course she was. It had been four years since she'd last seen her, and not a day had gone by that Nami had forgotten about her or their promise. No, her lack of enthusiasm came from a wave of uncertainty that came crashing down on her whenever she thought about seeing Vivi for the first time since their last night together.

A cool sea breeze played in Nami's hair and brushed against her skin. It was a familiar, welcome feeling, and it helped to ease her worries. She'd spent most of her life near the ocean. It reminded her of Bellemere, and she closed her eyes for a moment, accepting its caress like she would a mother's touch.

Four years. Four years since they'd departed Alabasta, leaving their precious friend and nakama behind. Four years since they'd visited this arid kingdom and saved it from the over ambitious warlord, Sir Crocodile. It had been four years since Nami had seen Vivi, and four years since she made her the promise she would finally be fulfilling today.

Nami remembered that night like it was yesterday. Lying in Vivi's sheets, holding the Princess close to her. Vivi had been unsure about what to do, and Nami refused to force her decision either way, though she secretly hoped Vivi would come with them. It was a selfish wish, but Nami didn't want to leave her behind. She never voiced it out loud, however, instead she listened to Vivi weigh her options allowed while she played with long strands of blue hair.

"I don't want to leave you," Vivi said finally, with a heavy sigh. "I almost want to ask you to stay here."

Nami was almost considering it.

"But I won't," Vivi continued, her voice firm. "Your dream is with the crew and on the sea, and I won't take that from you."

"And yours is here," Nami spoke up for the first time since she and Vivi had lain down. "Isn't it?"

Vivi didn't answer, but Nami didn't need her to. Vivi's love for her country was more than obvious. She risked her life for her people, cried and endured pain for them, and now that her kingdom had been saved and restored, her joy was contagious. Her dream was most certainly here with her people.

They lay in silence for a long while, Nami continued to play with Vivi's hair, occasionally accepting a kiss the princess initiated. She'd miss moments like these. Quiet, private moments between them had been rare but special, and Nami felt most complete and at home when she was with Vivi.

"I'll be back," Nami assured her, breaking their comfortable silence. "It might take a while, but when my map is finished and Luffy is pirate king, I'll come back."

Vivi didn't respond, and Nami couldn't see the look on her face from the position they were lying in. She lapsed back into silence, unsure of what else to say. Vivi was right, Nami's dream was with the crew, she wouldn't be able to accomplish it form here even if she wanted to. Vivi was still undecided, but Nami knew her well, and she knew Vivi would stay. Vivi might not have realized it herself, yet, but Nami knew.

"I don't know what to do," Vivi finally sighed, her voice pained, unsteady. "But if I stay, I'll wait for you."

"It's a promise," Nami smiled, kissing the princess to seal that promise.

"The mini Merry is ready to go!" Franky announced loudly, striking a pose to emphasize his statement. "We're not going to fit into one trip though, so we'll have to go in groups."

The Straw Hats split up as if it was planned, falling perfectly into three different groups. Robin and Luffy were the first to go with Franky. Nami was surprised that Robin had volunteered to go towards land so soon, but perhaps the presence of both the captain and the shipwright was the most reassuring to her. When Franky returned, he took Zoro, Sanji and Chopper with him. Nami pitied Franky that trip, as Zoro and Sanji were still bickering over the earlier remark.

Nami, Usopp and Brook went last. Nami had planned it that way on purpose. She didn't expect Vivi to be waiting for them on the shore, of course. They hadn't bothered to send a warning about their arrival, fearing that should the warning fall into the wrong hands, it would be known that the royal family of Alabasta was on good terms with the pirate king's crew, and something bad might be done to them. Things were still unstable as far as the governing powers of the world were concerned, and not everyone in charge had good intentions. That part of their journey was still a work in progress.

Nami wasn't expecting Vivi just yet, but she was still uneasy about approaching the shore at all. For a moment she considered echoing Robin's sentiment of wishing to stay on board the sunny, but she knew Luffy would never allow it. He'd force her along if he had to drag her there kicking and screaming. She decided it was best to operate with some dignity, at least, but that still didn't mean she wanted to rush to the shore.

"I thought you would look happier," Usopp said to her. "You and Vivi were close."

"Of course I'm happy," Nami replied automatically, ignoring the doubtful look Usopp was giving her by offering to sing along to one of Brook's songs. She knew why he had reasons to doubt her claim, but she also didn't much feel like getting into the complexity of her emotions right now.

"You and Vivi were close," Usopp continued to reason, clearly not picking up on Nami's lack of willingness to discuss. "Didn't you miss her?"

They were half way between the shore and the Sunny, and the cooler sea breeze met with the hot desert air in a swirl, whipping around them and tugging sharply at their clothing and hair. She shot Usopp a glare that caused the sniper to cower. Though her behavior had been less than enthusiastic, the implication that Nami hadn't even missed Vivi was offensive.

Of course she had missed Vivi. She had never, in the last four years, stopped missing Vivi. She had loved Vivi, still loved Vivi, and no time apart would change that. Inside, a part of her was eager to see the princess again. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped tightly onto the side of the mini Merry, her hands clenching with her barely contained excitement at the thought. No, the excitement was definitely there, but it was clouded in other emotions, doubts and problems that settled over that blooming excitement like a storm cloud.

They reached the shore, reuniting with the rest of the crew there. Robin had gone to find them a transport to Alubarna, seeming comfortable enough to do that much. It was difficult to stop Luffy from bouncing after her, his excitement had long ago made him overly hyper. It was made even worse when Zoro offered to go with Luffy to "prevent him from getting lost". It was then when Nami had to step in; though her mind had been elsewhere, she couldn't let Zoro and Luffy wander away. That was a surefire recipe for disaster, and if either of them made it out of the burning desert alive, they'd surely cause a scene in the next town they found. This trip was supposed to be quiet, secretive, and getting caught so soon would mean postponing a visit to Vivi.

Robin returned about the time Nami had finished doling out a punishment to both Zoro and Luffy, and with her she was toting a train of several camels. Nami looked all of the camels over carefully, wondering if she could see the familiar face of the last camel they had befriended in this country. Eyelashes was not among them though, and Nami sighed, wondering how that old friend of theirs was doing.

"I was told this was the fastest, most affordable way to get to Alubarna," Robin assured her, handing over the reins of one of the camels to her.

"Thank you, Robin," Nami smiled, grateful it was Robin and not someone else who had set off to find them transportation. Anyone else would not have been so conscientious of the cost.

It was Nami's job to navigate them back to Alubarna. She'd spent most of the trip back to Alabasta preparing the maps and notes she had made when she was here last. Her map of this country was nowhere near complete, as they'd had to leave so soon after their victory, but she had plenty to get them to Alubarna. With Nami's directions spurring them on (and a couple of them keeping a close eye on Zoro) they set off.

Almost the moment they were away from the shoreline, a familiar, suffocating heat settled over them. The desert air seemed to cook their lungs with every breath and permeated through their clothing to wrap around their skin in an oppressive haze. It had been four years since Nami had experienced a heat quite like this, and she couldn't say she missed its heavy atmosphere.

It carried with it familiarity and memories, however, and while they rode through the dry, hot air, she found she really couldn't hate it. It reminded her even more of Vivi, because Vivi's skin always seemed just a shade warmer than normal, as if it kept that desert sunlight with it at all times. That was what she thought of as they rode through the blazing hot air.

By lunch time (and Nami knew it was lunch time less by the position of the sun and more by the increasing volume of complaints coming from her captain) the air had only gotten hotter, and she could feel herself sweating until the protective clothing she'd worn. They took a break under the shade casted by a small rock formation. It was hardly cooler in the shade, but there was a certain relief that came with having the sun off their backs.

The others ate amongst varying conversations, but Nami sat quiet and listened to them talk. Her mind was on other things anyway, like the last four years. For her they'd gone by in a flash, a whirlwind of war and adventure, no shortage of excitement or learning. Had they passed as quickly for Vivi? The princess loved her country, of course, but Nami couldn't imagine life here being quite as exciting as a pirate's life. Particularly, a pirate's life on Luffy's crew, which was considerably more exciting than a normal pirate's life.

For Vivi these past four years might have dragged on, feeling impossibly long. So long, maybe, that she decided a promise made to a pirate wasn't worth keeping?

Nami tried to banish the thought, but the doubt had already settled into her mind like the hot air had settled against her skin. It was just as suffocating to her thoughts as the air was to her lungs, and as hard as she tried to ignore it or push it away, it was impossible to get rid of.

What if Vivi had moved on? She was a princess, after all, there were a number of reasons she could have to enter a marriage. Though she had always seemed very strong and independent, if she was told it was for the good of her country, Vivi wouldn't hesitate. She would always put the good of her country before everything as Nami expected her to. That didn't make it any less painful to imagine.

When Luffy had decided he was finished eating, they packed up and started out once more, back out into the barren, hot desert. By Nami's calculations it would only be a couple more hours until they reached Alubarna. It was plenty of time for her brain to come up with a hundred different scenarios and questions. Had Vivi changed? Would she even remember their promise? Would she care? What if she was married? What if she had a kid?

Nami steeled herself with each and every question, reassuring herself that even if Vivi herself or her feelings had changed, Nami would accept and handle it with dignity. It would be no one's fault: after all, sometimes things just don't go as planned. As long as Vivi was safe and happy, that was what was most important.

A sharp wind picked up, swirling loose sand around the desert. The horizon shimmered and swayed in the reflective heat of the sand. In the distance, Nami could see figures and shapes in that haze. Some were familiar, and some were not, but of course she knew they were all nothing more than tricks on her eyes caused by the heat.

One figure stood out from the other, less tangible figures. It looked particularly familiar; a feminine figure with long blue hair that swirled in the rising wind. Nami blinked, determined to clear the mirage from her mind. With Vivi so prominent on her mind, she had begun to see things.

The figure never disappeared from her vision, rather, it seemed to grow larger, more lifelike. The others could see it too, Nami noted, so it was not just a figment of her imagination. Soon the distance person was close enough to make out; it was undeniably Vivi, riding towards them on Carue.

Nami watched in awe as another blast of wind swirled into hair the color of the sky. Vivi had hardly changed at all. She looked a few years older and wiser, maybe, but the overjoyed smile on her face was as familiar to Nami as if she'd just seen it yesterday. She rode towards them quickly, Carue carrying her much faster than their camels could ever hope to accomplish.

"Vivi!" Luffy cried loudly, her name a long cry that was carried by the wind. She threw an arm up, waving enthusiastically in response.

Nami didn't feel any more relieved by seeing Vivi, rather, her worries seemed to double as the princess approached them quickly. She dismounted when they were only a few paces apart, and they did the same, rushing forward on foot to greet their old friend. Right there in the sands of the vast Alabastan desert was the spot of their reunion.

The air felt incredibly dry to Nami as she moved forward with the others. It dried her mouth and made her movements stiff and difficult.

Luffy was the first to reach Vivi and proceeded to pull her into a strong, rubber-limbed hug. She laughed and returned it.

"Pell saw your ship arrive," Vivi explained. "He told me you were on your way, but I just couldn't wait."

"So you came out to greet us, we are most honored by your presence, Princess," Sanji bowed, taking one of Vivi's hands into his own.

She giggled. "It's nice to see you too, Sanji-san. You haven't changed at all."

The others gathered closer to greet her, but Nami hung back. It wasn't that she didn't want to move forward, but her feet had stopped obeying her. She couldn't make them move to take another step.

"You're…" Vivi paused, looking at Robin.

"Nico Robin," Robin replied calmly. On the surface she looked cool and collected, but Nami noted the tightness in her face that was characteristic of Robin's discomfort.

"She's my nakama!" Luffy added, throwing another arm up over Robin's shoulders. Once again, the act brought a genuine smile to Robin's face, and she looked much more relaxed beside Luffy.

"It's nice to meet you," Vivi extended her hand in greeting. She wore a welcoming smile, kind and forgiving.

Robin took her hand, and the tension between them dissipated entirely. Vivi was introduced to Franky and Brook and as expected didn't even question their unusual appearances. She laughed at Franky's "greeting dance" and accepted Brook's offer of a special performance later when they'd reach the palace (though she denied him a glimpse of her panties).

When everyone had been greeted, Vivi turned, just slightly, and her eyes met Nami's. The dry air went even drier, and Nami swore it would take the moisture from her body and make her crumble into the sand. No words were spoken, and neither moved for what felt like eternity before Vivi turned back to Luffy and smiled.

"I told Terracotta to prepare you a feast, Luffy-san," she said. Luffy cheered loudly and rushed everyone back to the camels, ready to push them to full speed and reach the palace as quickly as possible.

Vivi did not look at Nami even once after that moment, and Nami really could feel herself crumbling. Numbly, she approached her camel, hefting herself back into the saddle with strength she didn't think she currently possessed, and rode forward on autopilot. She no longer needed to lead the group and so she lagged a bit behind, preferring not to be surrounded by all the cheerful chatter her nakama were engaging in.

She had tried so hard to convince herself that if Vivi had moved on, she would be okay with that. As long as Vivi was happy, that was all that mattered. No amount of coaching could have prepared her for how badly it _hurt _though. Like something inside of her was broken, like all of the air had been forced from her lungs in a single, deadly punch, and she couldn't seem to draw another breath.

She noticed Usopp looking back at her with some concern, but she ignored him. She straightened in her saddle, determined to at least _look_ comfortable and put together even if she was shattering apart on the inside. This was supposed to be a happy, celebratory occasion for her nakama, and she didn't want to put a damper on their mood. Besides, she reminded herself, Vivi did look well. She was glowing with happiness while she talked to Franky, who had a lot to say about her hair color. She was happy and healthy, and Nami had no complaints about that.

The party was in full swing almost the instant that they arrived. Everyone was waiting for them, and they greeted their old acquaintances enthusiastically before Luffy dove into their meal with so much flourish that the others had to rush to grab some food before it was all gone. When the meal was over and the food was cleared away (by Luffy, of course), they sat and talked about the events of their last four years. Vivi listened to their stories and shared some of her own. She gave her condolences to Luffy on the loss of his brother, and he accepted them with a smile.

When Chopper yawned, it reminded them all of the time, and a group of servants came to show them to their rooms. In all of the evening Vivi had not looked Nami's way again even once. It was as if Nami didn't exist. Even when Nami had taken her turn to talk, Vivi had preoccupied herself with her food or her hands. Nami could feel that same, breathless feeling each time but ignored it.

Nami stood from the table, ready to find her room, but she was stopped by a firm grip on her hand. Before she could make sense of who the hand belonged to, the grip turned into a tug, and she found herself being pulled away in the opposite direction of her friends, none of whom seemed to notice her sudden absence.

She turned, facing toward where she was being pulled and noticed the long shimmering blue hair first. Where Vivi was taking her, Nami had no idea, but she followed along quietly and waited to see.

Vivi came to a sudden stop, so sudden that Nami almost walked into her. They had come to a stop in the middle of a terrace that overlooked the city of Alubarna. The sun had long since set, and a cool breeze caressed Nami's skin as if it was soothing her in preparation for whatever would come next.

Vivi had released her hand, but for a long time she didn't speak or even move. Nami waited, being comforted by the cool, gentle wind as she prepared for the worst.

It was the second time that day alone that Nami learned that trying to prepare herself would never actually prepare her for what was coming. Vivi spun sharply, so suddenly that it startled Nami, and then suddenly there were hands on either side of her face and a pair of soft, long familiar lips against her own.

As unexpected as the kiss was, it certainly wasn't unwanted, and as soon as Nami's mind processed what was happening, her body leapt into action, returning the kiss with as much enthusiasm as she possibly could.

Vivi pulled away, gasping for air but smiling wider than Nami had seen all night. "I've been wanting to do that since this afternoon," Vivi said between breaths.

Nami breathed out. It was a long exhale of relief, and she could feel the crumbled pieces of herself reforming. "You remembered our promise?" She asked with some disbelief.

"Of course I did!" Vivi exclaimed. "Did you think I would forget?"

Nami didn't answer, instead she pulled Vivi into another kiss. Another kiss that mended her broken pieces and chased away her silly doubts. The gentle desert wind wrapped itself around them, and for what felt like the first time that day, Nami could breathe again.


End file.
